This invention relates to a self-locking differential assembly of the type disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,355 issued Feb. 12, 1985. In that type of differential, which is used on automotive type vehicles, the casing or inner housing receives the opposite ends of the axle shafts and contains a mechanism for normally coupling the shafts to the casing so that as the casing is power rotated, the shafts rotate therewith. However, where either shaft overruns, that is, rotates faster than the casing, the mechanism temporarily disconnects that axle so that it may free wheel while the power is transferred through the opposite axle. Upon returning to casing rotational speed, the free wheeling axle again is reconnected for rotation by the casing.
The mechanism for connecting the axle shaft ends to the casing includes drive members comprising a spider or a pair of drive rods which are fastened, transversely within the casing for rotation therewith and located between the adjacent ends of the axles. These drive members have wedge-shaped formations which engage V-shaped notches formed in adjacent coupling rings that are connected, through clutches, to collars mounted upon the ends of the shafts. In normal drive, the engagement between the wedge shaped formations and the notch walls rotate both coupling plates simultaneously, while forcing them outwardly to connect the clutch for driving the axles. However, in an overrun condition, the overrunning axle's coupling ring advance angularly a small distance relative to the drive rods for disengagement, resulting in simultaneous disengagement of its clutch to produce the free wheeling effect.
The invention of this present application relates to an improvement in such type clutches, namely in the system for assembling the clutch parts; for providing a substantially gapless contact between the drive rod wedge surfaces and the V-shaped notches in the coupling rings for faster response for connecting and disconnecting the clutch and for automatically compensating for wear in the clutches.